Feeling the extraordinary in ordinary language: familiarity and linguistic intimacy

Francesca Ervas

2022-01-01

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Abstract

The paper explores the concept of linguistic intimacy, questioning whether it is common to all linguistic phenomena or rather specific of figurative language. In particular, the paper investigates the idea that the feeling of intimacy depends on (linguistic) familiarity. Embracing a Wittgensteinian perspective, the paper claims that linguistic intimacy is connected to “aspectual familiarity”: the addressee is invited to see an aspect that the speaker considers meaningful to articulate, but difficult to share with others in ordinary language. Thus, especially via metaphor, the speaker uses ordinary language to invite the addressee to see aspects as something new or unfamiliar in the familiar (social) world they share. However, the interlocutor can only find by herself the affective meeting point where she has been invited by the speaker.